


Would You Lie For Me

by orphan_account



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Domestic Violence, Drama, F/F, Fluff, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-28
Updated: 2015-09-28
Packaged: 2018-04-23 20:53:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4891894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Delphine Cormier once dreamt of a life in domestic bliss with a husband and children sharing lazy Sunday mornings together. Seven years later, the dream remained a dream and her life became a nightmare when her husband turned out to be someone else, someone she did not marry. Every day she lives in fear of her daughter's safety and will do anything to keep her unharmed. </p><p>Cosima Niehaus is an aspiring scientist who recently got her PhD and is now looking for a spot in the new research team at the DYAD Institute. Her life revolves around microbiology and to save her sick sister and there's nothing she wouldn't do to help her. However, the path she choses reveals a darker secret when the intriguing Dr Delphine Johnson opens up the doors to all possibilities, in both matter of the heart and mind. </p><p>How will these women's lives intertwine when all they want is to keep a loved on safe and a new love knocks on the door? </p><p>(Contains domestic abuse and graphic descriptions of violence.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! So I couldn't keep myself and my fingers away from starting a new fic, a new angst and drama one. Although, to you my fellow readers who have been through my 'Dear Delphine', I assure you that this will not have an ending as tragic. This was first intended to be a Swan Queen fic but I changed my mind. It will just starts kinda goofy (except for the prologue), then become darker and darker and really dark before everything gets light again. After every fifth chapter, there will be a short interlude from Delphine's POV, just to get a glimpse of her life every now and then. Yes, I changed her surname for plot reasons. 
> 
> I hope you will enjoy this horrible fic. I will put a warning in every fic where there will be graphic violence. This and chapter 1 will be a test round so please, if you really want to see a continuation of this, comment comment comment! :) 
> 
> TW: domestic abuse

This was not the life Delphine had imagined. The life she was currently living was nowhere near the perfect happy ending the once cheerful and outgoing woman had painted in her head. Her dream was filled with lazy Sunday mornings spent in bed, dinners where their daughter would spill her glass of milk and she would be scolded with a gentle voice, and snowy days with snowball fights and hot chocolate. As always, dreams remained dreams. Instead, she spent those Sunday mornings hoping hishangover would be enough to make him leave her alone, their child was punished with more than a stern voice and on those snowy days, Delphine found herself relieved she could hide her bruised body in thick clothes.

 

It was with confusion she gazed at their wedding pictures; her smile as bright as the pure white silk flowing around her legs and his eyes shone with that mysterious kindness she once fell so hard for. She remembered her cheeks aching from laughing and smiling too much and how her heart beat fast with excitement, love and anxiety at the thought of spending her days with him until death would do them apart. 

 

Delphine often asked herself how her life could take such an unexpected turn in just seven years – not even close to death would them apart. She knew it was her fault every time he lift his fist, she had a habit of spitting back provocative comments at people who did not agree with her. It was a practically a part of her job description to do just that after all. However, it did not work that way with one’s husband. What was currently going on in the kitchen was proof of that. 

 

”You think I would do it better? You think I should cook dinner after coming home from a long day at work? My beloved _wife,_ it doesn’t work that way.”

 

”For Christ’s sake, Robin, we’re living in the 21st century. I have a work too and you know I come home later than you on Tuesdays,” Delphine stared at him with anger but was met with pure rage burning back at her. Even though she should have learned, she could not keep her mouth closed. There just was something about the way he suddenly forgot to feed his daughter that infuriated her. 

 

”I am not some housewife to stay at home and make sure your ass is comfortable every hour of the day.” 

 

Even though she should have learned, she just could never. 

 

It had taken around three months to figure out how to block the pain. To ignore it as every fist or foot connected with her shoulders and stomach. She thanked every god there was that he had yet to hit her in the face or somewhere else that was difficult to hide. 

 

With her fascination with make up, it had taken around three hours to figure out how to cover up bruises on collarbones. 

 

Robin was never a man with words– he showed his affections through sweet gestures and soft strokes on cheeks and expressed his disapproval with a scowl or a grunt. When the latter did not seem to be enough, his hands would fortify the message and paint her ribs with marks as angry as his eyes. 

 

Slap.

 

The tiles of the kitchen floor was ice against her cheek.

 

The front of his boot felt particularly pointy on her back today. 

 

”Maman?” a soft voice filled with fear that should never tremble on a five year old’s lips awoke her from her daze and she sat up. 

 

Sometimes it was hard to know how long she would lay still. It could be seconds, it could be hours. To her, it did not matter. The foggy place in her mind helped her avoid the inevitable pain but it was nothing against the view of her daughter’s face when he found her – beaten and bruised – on the floor. 

 

”Maxine,” Delphine murmured and reached out her hand toward her. Maxine’s big eyes were filled to the brim with tears as she leapt into her open arms and sobbed against her neck. 

 

The hardest part of it all, the child's mother found out, was how she could explain that while her father beat her, he loved his child. He loved Delphine, even. It was difficult to explain how a man with so many demons inside him that violence was his way of taking care of those he held close. So far he hadn’t touched a single hair on their daughter’s head, and he would never see the sunlight again if he dared to. She loved him enough to let him do whatever he wanted to her, but Maxine meant more than anything and she would never see her hurt by his father’s hand. There was a line. 

 

”Why were you lyin on the floor? Did daddy got mad again?” Maxine sniffed and tugged at her shirt, nuzzling her little face against her chest. Warmth seeped from her body into her heart and she felt her child inhale, as if drawing in her mother’s calming scent.

 

”Daddy made me angry, and then I made him angry.” It was as simple as that to confirm to your daughter that, yes, daddy had hurt you. It was also a way of letting Maxine know that it was her fault and that she shouldn’t be scared. Robin would never harm you. 

 

”Can you read me a story?” The child looked up at her with her wide dark eyes that sparkled with so much adoration and her heart could not bear the knowledge of the girl seeing everything that happened to her. She felt guilty. 

 

”Of course. Go pick one while I fix some things,” _while I fix myself. Delphine_ kissed her forehead before she ran off toward her room. 

 

A cup of chamomile tea and ibuprofen helped her muscles to relax and the pain in her back where Robin’s boot had kissed her purple subsided to a dull ache. It would do for tonight, her daughter needed her. 

 

Mr Robin Johnson were nowhere to be found. He was probably driving around town as he always was after one of their fights and she used the time alone to gather herself up. Or more like he gave her that time to recover and make herself representable so he wouldn’t have to face his temper so evident on his wife. 

 

The girl was already in bed, the book way too big in her lap, as she stepped into the room. Reaching for the book, she was pulled down by a pair of thin child arms around her neck and a big wet kiss on her cheek by her child. ”I love you, maman,” Maxine whispered which so adoration and lack of understanding and Regina found it calming, that her daughter did not yet understand and hopefully would never understand violence  

 

”Je t’aime aussi, mon petit oiseau. Now, let’s read that book of yours,” and Delphine read. She read about dragons and knights and princesses and her voice carried out through the room, acting as evil queens and stepmothers and trolls. Maxine laughed at the right moments, listened with worry as the knight was just about to slay the dragon but the big reptile creature breathed long hot tendrils of fire and smoke. Although, with a brave charge with the sword, the dragon was slain. 

 

Halfway through the third chapter, she noticed her daughter was fast asleep and she ended up finishing the book more for herself. The fairytales sure offered an escape with happily ever after’s and true love, dreams she hadn’t allowed herself to dream since she was a young girl. 


	2. Chapter 1: DYAD Institute

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warning in this one! Remember to comment and give kudos, please! :)

”Woah, Alison, this place is bigger than I imagined! Look at that thing!”

 

”Good luck with getting that job, Cosima. I doubt they’re looking for a hippie with dreads for their research team,” Alison teased as Cosima gawked at the enormous building towering above their car. It was indeed an impressive structure that looked to be made entirely out of glass and reflected the morning sun like a beacon in the middle of the block.  

 

”My sister is so very funny and so believing. I love you, too,” Cosima shot back and opened the door to climb out. ”Wish me luck and see you later.”

 

”Good luck,” her twin sister replied before the door slammed shut and Cosima started walking towards the main entrance.

 

DYAD was the leading institute within the fields of evolutionary development and genetical engineering and they were now searching for ”new and young minds to further their research” and Cosima desperately wanted to be a part of it. She had recently gotten her PhD and had a number of recommendations in her resume to at least try to search for a spot in the new team. Ever since she was twelve and gotten to know how triplets were even a possibility, she had been mesmerized by the intricate and developed information in her cells that coded her being. It had since then been a dream of hers to become a scientist and explore the small universes a single DNA string held. 

 

It hadn’t been easy, growing up with three sisters where two of them were her triplets in a small house. All of them so different from the other but coming face to face with hem, they looked like they could be clones. All of them trying to be their own person. However, every sister and both parents had supported and cherished everyone’s dream and kept encouraging and Cosima couldn’t ask for a better, more understanding family. 

 

As soon as she opened the door, her jaw dropped. It was like walking into one of Scott’s – her best friend – sci-fi world. Screens as thin as glass hung on the walls and everything was shiny and clean and screamed of high intellectuality. She tried to take it all in as she walked towards the reception desk with her eyes on anything and everything but in front of her. 

 

”Miss, Can I help you with anything?” a gentle voice brought her back from her daze. It came from a small blonde woman in her mid-forties sitting behind the shiny desk with a polite smile. 

 

”Yeah, I’m Cosima, eh… Niehaus and I was invited to an interview to the new research team,” Cosima explained and pulled up the printed e-mail of the invitation out of her bag and handed it to the receptionist. 

 

”Ah, yes! Room K-3, floor four. Dr Johnson is holding the interviews today and she might be a little bit late due to a prolonged meeting. She will call for you as soon as it is your turn,” the woman answered as she regarded the piece of paper with a pair of glasses on the tip of her nose. ”Good luck Dr Niehaus.”

 

Cosima smiled nervously and walked away, looking for the elevator. When she found it, her whole body buzzed with excitement and anxiety. This was her first interview since getting her doctorate and yeah sure, maybe this was a little too ambitious but hey, she had gotten this far right? That has to account for something? She had been invited, chosen among hundreds of applicants.  

 

As the elevator brought her to floor four, she started doubting whether she really should be here. Maybe they had gotten her name wrong or maybe this was some kind of prank; to lure young scientists. Nice. 

 

Locating room K-3 wasn’t hard. Outside sat three other people and she knew by the way they were chewing their nails or looking at a clock on the wall every fifth second that they were here for the same reason. 

 

”Hi,” Cosima said and was greeted with equally nervous nods. Placing herself on a vacant chair, she pulled out her phone and browsed without interest through various social medias.

 

”So, does anyone know who this Dr Delphine Johnson is?” Cosima asked, feeling a bit uneasy by the silence and tried the lighten up the mood. Not even an AC or heating system was heard! No one answered. ”She sounds old and grey, doesn’t she?” 

 

Crickets. Well, they were geeks just like her so they were probably not used to socialize and she could relate. Social situations were difficult, however, this unnerving silence was worse. ”Mrs Johnson… sounds like an old British woman who drinks _cuppa’s_ every third hours or so. Very boring but very charming, don’t you agree? Or maybe she’s an overly smart condescending bitch,” and Cosima laughed at herself awkwardly but was interrupted by someone clearing her throat.

 

The brunette turned around and looked for the source of the soun– _holy watershed!_ A tall, slender woman with long, thick blonde hair raised an eyebrow Cosima’s way and holy _shit_ if she wasn’t one of the most beautiful women she had ever laid her eyes upon. 

 

”Are we finished here or is… Madeleine Warren, ready to be interviewed?” French R’s rolled off her tongue _and of fucking course she’s fucking French._ A red head in her age stood up and stumbled towards the gorgeous goddess that still wore a stern expression on her flawless face. ”Good day Dr Warren, I’m Dr Johnson. Follow me,” she said and shook Madeleine’s hand. 

 

_Of fucking course that was Dr Delphine Johnson. Great, now I’m screwed. Can just pick my stuff and leave before I humiliate myself some more…_

 

A cold feeling pooled in her stomach. She had really wanted this job and now she blew it. Just because she could’t keep her mouth shut. But how the hell was she supposed to know that Dr Johnson was supposed to be this really fricking attractive woman _who wore freaking power suits?_ This was just her luck. Losing her chance at a job while offending the employer. 

 

For one hour and fifteen minutes did she dwell, replaying her words over and over and each time her dread increased and she was pale white by the time she heard her name in a French accent. When their eyes met, she swore she saw a hint of– _something–_ hidden in the doctor’s eyes and she couldn’t pinpoint if it was amusement or annoyance. Either way, it didn’t leave a good feeling in the young scientist’s chest. 

 

”Welcome to DYAD institute. As you may know now I’m Dr Delphine Johnson. Please, sit down,” the blonde said and Cosima’s cheeks colored in shame as she sat down on the chair Dr Johnson had gestured at. Her gaze swept across the room and noticed it was a fairly small office. Probably a small conference room with big windows and more shiny things. The other woman sank down onto a very comfortable looking chair behind a huge desk. She had to do it. 

 

”Look, Dr Johnson, what you heard out there… I was being a a nervous idiot. I’m so sorry,” Cosima tried and looked into the eyes that held no emotion what so ever. 

 

”Dr Niehaus, I am not interested in your apologies nor do I care about what you think of me. As long as you are answering my questions in a formal way and separate your personal opinions – may I be undeserving of such negativity seeming as we have never seen each other before – from your career, I will not base further impressions of you from your little slip of the tongue. Understand?” 

 

_Holy watershed, I never thought someone could be so intimidating and hot at the same time while berating me!_

 

Cosima nodded quickly, her hand flying to her neck to scratch a point below her ear as she usually did when she was nervous. ”Yes, I understand,” she stuttered and managed a smile, which remained unanswered. 

 

”Good. Now, you got your PhD at the age of twenty six. How did you manage such a feat at a very young age?” the blonde read from her resume, her dark green eyes scanning the page with brows furrowed and Cosima couldn’t help but notice how adorable it was. _No, stop objecting your hopefully future boss. Answer the question, Cos!_

 

”Well you don’t look much older than I, if I may say so…” Cosima tried for reasons unknown to be flirtatious with the woman who had just told her she wanted to keep this professional. _Good job, Cosima!_ As she had already figured out, she may not say so. _Ahem._ ”I’ve always known what I wanted with my life and I didn’t want to drag it out. I wanted it now and I got it,” Cosima responded and hoped it was the correct answer. Delphine nodded once while she kept reading. 

 

”You’ve gotten some recommendations from a few well known professors from one Ivy League university as well as University of Cambridge regarding your work around Immunology. I have to say that I’m very impressed, Dr Niehaus. However, you stated in your resume that you focused your PhD on Evolutionary Development and I wonder why? Clearly you are merited to work within both fields but after have read you’re very fascinating dissertation on how this autoimmune disease attacked lungs and uterus… You have a bright mind.”

 

Cosima blushed, not prepared for being praised after her _little slip of the tongue_ and she had to look away from the blonde’s intense gaze and ended up staring at a painting hanging behind her. It looked expensive and… Abstract? 

 

”Wow, thank you Dr. The reason I chose to stay within Evo Devo – that’s what we call it – is because I am and will always be amazed by how organisms evolved into the beings they are today, how the placement of a single molecule could cause huge changes within the organism’s structure and in the end become an entirely different specie. It’s fascinating seeing how these little abnormalities became normalities or when the abnormality happened,” by now, her nerves had done and she dared to peak at Dr Johnson, who was listening with interest as Cosima continued, ”Don’t get me wrong – Immunology is extremely important and I am very interested in the research being done. Although, I think there are questions within Immunology that can only be answered through Evo Devo, and I want to study the primary sources…” Cosima’s hands flew everywhere as she painted up images of her studies. She had forgotten all about offending the woman sitting in front of her and was now lost in her own world of phosphate and nitrogenous bases. When she started to go more into details, Delphine _smiled_ before opening her mouth to stop the now rambling brunette. 

 

”I understand, Dr Niehaus. As I stated before, you are very clever and I can truly see that you are passionate about your field of work,” she said and scribbled something down in a notebook. 

 

”I was clever when I was like six,” and Cosima grinned. Delphine pursed her mouth as if trying to quench a smile and Cosima’s grew wider. She felt warmer and comfier in her clothes now, no longer worried that she’d never be in this beautiful and obviously very intelligent woman’s good graces. Maybe she had a chance after all.  

 

The next questions were more about work morals and ethics than proving her knowledge. She stated that she deserved the job because she was ambitious and motivated,  never backing down a challenge.” I’m an optimist in every aspect but I’m also a realist. I don’t believe you can’t be both, on the contrary– I believe you have to be both in order to succeed. Especially when you are working with the microscopic parts of nature.” 

 

Delphine regarded her with a solemn face before writing down more notes. ”Thank you, Dr Niehaus. I’ve heard enough. I will look over our conversation and let someone get back to you later. Good afternoon,” Delphine said and rose from her chair. She flashed Cosima a professional smile and extended her hand for her to shake. Had she noticed how soft the blonde’s hand was the first time they touched? 

 

”Thank you Dr Johnson. looking forward to hearing from you,” Cosima responded and a very brave nerve in her body wanted to add a little wink. Because that’s just who Cosima was; a flirty person. Luckily for Cosima, Delphine didn’t notice or just didn’t have time for Cosima’s childlike behavior because she cleared her throat and boss ass bitched walked out of the little office.

 

”Okaay I think I just blew it…” Cosima muttered as she made staggered back to the elevator. On her way down she quickly tapped away a message to Alison, telling her she was ready to be picked up. She was still as amazed by the architecture and interior design as she was when she got here and wondered if she would ever get used to it should she get the job. The receptionist seemed to remember her because she waved enthusiastically at her as she walked towards the exit. Or maybe she was just excited to see her go.    

 

”How did it go? was the first thing Alison said when she had finally arrived. Cosima chuckled at her uptight sister and just gave her a ”it went okay,” before she closed the door to the car and left the impressive structure behind. 


End file.
